Block-molding machine.



- J. c. HBRRING.

,BLOGK MOLDING MACHINE.

nrmcmron rum) APR. 20. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES.-

PATENTED APB..16, 1907.

No.-850,368. PATENTED APR. 16, 1907.

J. 0. HERRING- j 121.001; MOLDING MACHINE.

LPPLIOATIOI FILED APR. 20. 1906.

- .2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7', ATTORNEYS We) JNVENTOR.

's :srsns cm. minim-pm,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BLOCK-MOLDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16, 1907.

Application filednpril 20, 1906. Serial No. 312, 2

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. HERRING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Block-Molding Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines empl oyed in the manufacture of blocks or bricks from concrete or other plastic material, and has for its principal object to provide a machine of simple construction which will admit of ready adjustment for the manufacture of blocks of different size.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type in which the mold-boX may be readily opened and. closed and which may be readily locked and firmly held in closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of contractible core, which may be readily removed by hand from the molded block before the mold-box is opened.

With these and other objects in view, as

- will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a block-molding machine constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the mold-box in open position. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine with the mold-box in closed position. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the frame with one of the end plates removed. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the contractible core. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a modified form of end plate. Fig. 7 is a view of a portion of the division-plate to be used in connection with an end plate of the character shown in Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The working parts of the machine are mounted on a suitable frame 10, provided at the top with side bars 11, that are provided, with a number of openings 12 for the reception of a hinge-rod 13, on which the back plate of the mold-box is mounted, the series of openings permitting adjustment of the hinge-rod in order to increase or decrease the size of the mold-box.

At the rear of the machine the frame is provided with two vertically-extending standards 14, which are provided at their lower inner ends with small shoulders or lugs 15 for the supporting of the detachable faceplate 16. The face-plate is provided with a pair of rearwardly-proj ecting lugs 17, that are adapted to fit over small Wings or ears 18, projecting from the inner faces of the standards 14. The face-plates 16 may be made of any design and are interchangeable, so that a block of any desired ornamental face may be made.

Projecting from the outer faces of the standards 14 are pairs of lugs 20, to which are hinged end plates 21, and these may be plain or ornamental, as desired, and in some cases may be made double and provided with vertically-extending grooves 22 in their inner faces for the reception of a partition 23, where sectional blocks are to be made or where a number of full-size blocks are to be molded at the same time. The free end of each of the end plates is planed down toform a tongue adapted to fit within a roove 25, formed in the back plate 26, said back plate being mounted on the hinge-rod 13, and each of the end plates is further provided with a cam-lever 27, that is pivoted to the end plate and is arranged to clamp against the outer surface of the back plate, and thus lock the parts of the mold in closed position.

The pallet 30 is formed of any suitable material and is arranged to rest on the side bars 11 of the frame with one edge in contact with the shoulder or lug 15 at the base of standards 14. The pallet has a .centrallydisposed opening that is arrangedfor the reception of the lower end of a core-actuating rod 32.

The core 33 is formed of two sections, the dividing-line being lengthwise of the core, and these sections are connected at one end by a spring hin e-plate 34, that tends at all times to force t e opposite ends of the sections toward each other for the purpose of contracting the core. To prevent the entrance of any of the plastic material between the sections of the core a guard-plate 36 is secured to the free end of one of the sections and extends across the space between said sections, while the spring hinge-plate performs a similar function at the connected ends of the sections. The rod 32 is provided with a pair of cams 38, preferably of elliptical form and so arranged that when turned with their major axes transversely to the length of the core the latter will be spread and its opposite side walls will be in parallel relation. To accomplish this, the upper end of the rod is provided with a suitable handle 40, which acts both as a spreading and as a core-lifting means.

In operation, the box being closed and the core being in position, with the rod turned with the major axes of the cams at a right angle to the length of the core, the material is filled in and tamped in the usual manner, and then the core-rod is turned to allow the spring 34 to contract the core. The core may then be readily lifted out, and after this has been accomplished the locking-levers 27 are turned up and the back plate is pulled down to the position shown in Fig. 1, The end plates are then swung outward, leaving the block free to be carried away on the pallet 30 to the dryin floor.

It will be oIJserved that the face-plates may be readily interchanged and that by shifting the position of the rod 18 and employing end plates of different length the width of the box can be readily adjusted.

1. In a block-molding machine, the combination of a frame including a pair of spaced standards, of a movable face-plate supported by said standards, interengaging lugs for looking the plate to the standards, end plates pivoted to the standards, a pivoted back plate, and means for locking the back plate to the end plates.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame including a pair of spaced standards, of a face-plate carried by the standards, end plates pivoted to the standards, a pivoted back plate having grooves for the reception of the free edges of the end plates, and pivoted cam-levers carried by the end plates and arranged to lock against the back plate.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, having a pair of spaced standards and provided with lugs or shoulders at the bases of the standards, a removableface-plate resting on said lugs, in-

the standards, a removable pallet, a pivotally-mounted back plate having grooves near its opposite ends, end plates pivoted to the standards and having their free ends arranged to enter said grooves, and cam-levers carried by the end plates and arranged to interlock with the back plate.

4. In a machine of the class described, the

/ combination with a frame including a pair of horizontally-disposed parallel bars, each provided with a plurality of openings, a hingerod adjustable into any of said openings, a back plate carried by the hingerod, a faceplate rigidly secured to the frame, end plates pivotedv to the frame, and means for locking the end plates to the back plate.

5. In a machine of the class described, the sectional core, a spring-plate connecting the sections of the core at one end and tending to force the opposite ends of the sections toward each other, and a cam-rod for spreading said sections.

6. In a machine of the class described, a core formed of sections, a spring-plate forming a hinge between the sections 'at one end of the core, and tending to force the opposite ends of such sections toward each other, a guard-plate covering the free ends of the sectionsa rod extending through the core, and cams carried by the rod and movable to expand the core.

7. In a machine of the class-described, a mold-box including a pallet member having an opening, an expansible core, and a core spreading and lifting rod, the lower end of which finds a bearing in the pallet-opening.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two wltnesses.

J AMES 0. HERRING.

I/Vitnesses:

E. M. ANDREWS, WALTER D. MoAnoo.

'terfitting lugs for holding the face-plate to 

